Reinforced pole structure and method of banding a reinforcing stub to a pole



G. F. STRU INFORCI March 21, 1967 REINFORCE BARRETT 3,399,824 D POLE CTURE AND METHOD OF BANDING A RE NG STUB TO A POLE Original Filed April 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 S. 7 m7 H E WA HT 5 HYA J J W 5 a J V March 21, 1967 G. F. BA ETT 3,309,824

STRUCT REINFORCED P UR ND MET OF BANDING A R I FORCING STUB TO A P E Original Filed April 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GEORGE F. BARRETT jma fi w .AT'TOPNEYS'.

Patented Mar. 21, 1967 REINFORCED POLE STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF BANDING A REINFORCING STUB TO A POLE George F. Barrett, Littleton, Colo., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to The Kamphausen Company, Englewood, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Original appiication Apr. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 274,491, now Patent No. 3,193,252, dated July 6, 1965. Divided and this application Dec. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 430,786

3 Claims. (Cl. 52-170) This application is a division of my pending application Ser. No. 274,491, filed Apr. 22, 1963 for Tensioning Device, now Patent 3,193,252 issued July 6, 1965.

This invention relates to a method and means for reinforcing utility poles.

It is well known that power or telephone poles of wood or wooden poles for other purposes become weakened by rotting and erosion, this weakening being most severe at and below ground level. Various efforts have been made to reinforce poles which have become weakened in this manner, the usual method being to drive a wood timber or pole section adjacent to the existing pole and then bolt the reinforcing timber or pole to the existing pole. This method is unsightly, inconvenient and only moderately eifective.

A much more effective reinforcement may be provided by driving a steel reinforcing plate of arcuate cross section into the ground directly against the pole and then securing the reinforcing plate to the pole. I have found that such a reinforcement is particularly effective when the plate is secured to the pole by metal bands or straps which encircle the pole and plate.

The present invention provides a novel procedure and novel mechanical means for thus securing a reinforcing plate to a pole by means of encircling metal bands.

While a single embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the following specification, it is to be understood that such embodiment is by way of example and for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention, the scope of which is limited only as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a general view of a power or telephone pole having a reinforcing stub banded thereto;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of one of the bands employed in securing a stub to a pole;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a seal or clenching device used for securing a band about a pole and stub;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the seal of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view on the line 66 of FIG. 1 showing a clenched or locked seal;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing one form of the stub banding apparatus of the present invention in position for effecting a banding operation;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view similar to FIG. 7 but with portions removed to show the band applying ratchet mechanism;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the banding apparatus of FIG. 7 as viewed generally from the right hand side of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is ac ross sectional view of a pole having a modified form of stub wherein the stub is of somewhat smaller radius than the pole.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. Referring first to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 designates a power or telephone pole or a pole for other purposes which is driven into the ground indicated at 11. A reinforcing member 12, known in this art as a stub, comprises an elongate metal member of arcuate cross section which may be produced, merely as a matter of convenience, by cutting oil well pipe longitudinally.

The stub 12 is driven into the ground with the inner concave face thereof against the surface of pole 12 and the present invention is concerned particularly with the method and means for binding the stub 12 and thus retaining the same in secure peripheral contact with the pole 10. The apparatus for applying securing bands about the pole and stub is illustrated particularly in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 and reference will now be had to those figures of the drawings.

A mounting bracket designated generally by the numeral 20 includes an integral leg portion 21 and a second leg member 22 is pivoted to bracket 20 as at 23, all as clearly illustrated in FIG. 7. Leg portion 21 and leg member 22 have terminal tooth formations 24 and 25 which are adapted to engage the opposite edges of stub 12 as shown in FIG. 7. A screw 26 threads through bracket 20 and has a swivel end member 27 for engage ment against stub 12. Tightening screw 26 by means of a handle 28 mounts bracket 20 securely with respect to stub 12.

Bracket 29 is thus mounted upon stub 12 directly below the level at which a band is to be secured about the pole and stub. Mechanism for tigthening a band about the pole and stub is mounted upon leg portion 21 of bracket 20 and will now be described. A pair of spaced flanges 31 formed integrally with leg portion 21 include bearing formations 32 which rotatably support a shaft or spindle 33 which has a manual turning knob 34 at its lower end and a transverse slot formation 35 at its upper end as shown in FIG. 9.

An operating member 38 comprises a tubular socket portion adapted to receive a handle or lever member 39 and includes bifurcations 40 which fit within the bearing formations 32 and rotate upon shaft 33. A ratchet wheel 42 is fixed to shaft 32 and disposed between the bifurcations 40 of operating member 38.

An operating pawl 44 is pivoted between the bifurcations 40 of operating member 38 and includes a manual pawl releasing portion 46. Pawl 44 is normally urged into operating engagement with ratchet wheel 42 by a coil spring 48. A locking pawl for preventing retrograde rotation of ratchet wheel 42 is designated 47 in FIG. 8 and is pivoted between the flanges 31 of bracket 20.

With the bracket 20 secured in operating position as described above the procedure in applying a band about a pole and stub is as follows. One end of a metal band 50 is nailed to the pole 10 as shown at 52 in FIG. 7' and one or more securing devices 51 are slid upon the band. Band 50 is nailed to the pole 10 in such position that its lower edge is flush with and may rest upon the upper edge of bracket 20. The securing devices 51 comprise relatively flattened C-shaped clips or ferrules, one of which is shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5. A band 50 is shown in elevation in FIG. 3.

Band 50 is then wrapped entirely about the pole and stub and the free end of the band is passed through the ferrules or seals 51 and the free end of the band is then placed in the slot 35 in the upper end of shaft 33. Excess band beyond shaft 33 may be snipped off. The workman may then take up slack in the band by turning the manual ratchet knob 34, the band 50 being thus wrapped about shaft 33.

Substantial tensile force may then be applied to the band 59 to wrap the same tightly about the pole and stub by reciprocating lever 39 to operate the ratchet mechanism. When sufficient tension has been applied,

which tension in the band is maintained by locking pawl 47, the securing devices or ferrules 51 are clenched or crimped by indenting them as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 to lock the two layers of band 50 securely therein.

It is now merely necessary to back off screw 26 to release the bracket 20 and the entire tensioning device may then be lowered which moves the slotted shaft 33 from the end of 'band 50, leaving the latter in the condition illustrated in FIG. 2. The end of the band beyond the seals or clenched ferrules is then merely snipped off. At least two such bands will usually be employed but of course any number may be applied as circumstances dictate.

The arcuate reinforcing member need not lie flat against the pole as in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7. FIG. 10 shows a modification wherein a stub 55 of substantially smaller radius than a pole 56 is applied to the latter in such manner that only the longitudinal edge of the arcuate reinforcing member or stub engage the surface of the pole. The tensioning mechanism is applied to the stub as in the previous embodiment and the band is applied about the pole and stub as previously described and as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of banding a reinforcing stub to a pole which comprises, fastening one end of a band to the pole, positioning a seal on the band adjacent said end thereof, wrapping the band around the stub and pole and back across said end thereof, threading the other end of the band through the seal, pulling the other end of the band to draw the band snugly against the stub and pole, and crimping the seal about the two layers of band extending therethrough to secure the band in tight encircling relation with respect to said pole and stub.

2. The method of handing a reinforcing stub to a pole which comprises, nailing one end of a band to the pole, positioning a seal on the band adjacent the nailed end thereof, wrapping the band around the stub and pole and back across said nailed end, threading the other end of the band through the seal, pulling the other end of the band to draw the band snugly against the stub and pole, and crimping the seal about the two layers of band extending therethrough to secure the band in tight encircling relation with respect to said pole and stub.

3. A reinforced pole structure comprising a wood pole having its lower end embedded in the ground, a reinforcing element comprising an elongated metal member of arcuate transverse cross section disposed against the pole with its convex side toward the same and its lower end extending into the ground, and means securing the reinforcing element against the pole comprising a metal band nailed to the pole at one end and extending about the pole and the reinforcing member, the other end of said band overlapping the nailed end, and means securing the overlapped portions of said band securely to each other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 997,186 7/1911 Flora 24-23 1,726,371 8/1929 Spring 52170 1,817,342 8/1931 Beecher 52-17O 2,889,599 6/1959 Perry 24-21 2,928,411 3/1960 Johnson 61--54 X 2,931,083 4/ 1960 Sidenmark ?A-23 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

I. E. MURTACH, Assistant Examiner. 

3. A REINFORCED POLE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A WOOD POLE HAVING ITS LOWER END EMBEDDED IN THE GROUND, A REINFORCING ELEMENT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED METAL MEMBER OF ARCUATE TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION DISPOSED AGAINST THE POLE WITH ITS CONVEX SIDE TOWARD THE SAME AND ITS LOWER END EXTENDING INTO THE GROUND, AND MEANS SECURING THE REINFORCING ELEMENT AGAINST THE POLE COMPRISING A METAL BAND NAILED TO THE POLE AT ONE END AND EXTENDING ABOUT THE 